In CA, a bicycle is not a vehicle. However, anyone operating a vehicle on a public highway is subject to the same rules and responsibilities as someone driving a vehicle (21200).

You did not violate 21200. 21200 is the law that declares that you are subject to obeying 22450 (among all the others). You violated 22450 (by running a stop sign).

Don't run stop signs. It's illegal, and can be deadly. Especially at night.

To be safe on your bicycle, ride visibly and predictably: ride in the legal vehicular manner.

First, he wouldn't cite YOU as a bicycle, he would cite you as an OPERATOR of a bicycle. Regardless, I don't see how this is relevant. Whether you're operating a bicycle or a motor vehicle, you are subject to the same laws and responsibilities (per 22100).


My take on 21202 (and 21204) is significantly different. I wouldn't say it allows for moving into the lane under some circumstances. I would say it allows for moving into the lane under SO MANY circumstances that the law is practically moot. Don't just glance through all the exceptions. Read and study them carefully. I did, and, as a result, I prefer to think of it in reverse - the law requires me to move to the right side (or bike lane if there is one) ONLY in the rare circumstance where ALL of the following conditions are true:

1) where there is other traffic, AND
2) traffic is traveling faster than me, AND
3) I'm in a lane wide enough to be safely shared by a car and bike side-by-side (or there is a bike lane), AND
4) I'm between intersections, AND
5) there is no place to turn right (not even a drive way), AND
6) I'm not preparing to turn left, AND
7) I'm not passing anyone, AND
8) it is not reasonably necessary to avoid conditions that I consider worthy of being avoided (the law is fairly vague on this).

In other words, the circumstances where 21202/21204 apply happens a lot less often than most cyclists realize. And it only lasts as long as all of the above remain true. As soon as any one of the conditions is no longer true, the law no longer applies. For example, if you are riding along a street with cars parked parallel, I believe 21202(3) alleviates you from adhering to the "shall ride as close as practicable to the right" side rule altogether, because the possibility that one of those doors might open presents a "condition" that makes it reasonably necessary to NOT ride "as close as practicable to the right". Since 21202/21204 does not apply because of the condition, you can ride in the middle of the lane, or anywhere in that lane.

Further, even in that rare circumstance where all of the above eight conditions are simultaneously true, the law only requires you to ride as close as practicable to the right side, which is an ambiguous term in and of itself. For example, in many cases it is not practicable (though it is possible) to ride too close to the right since it makes the cyclist less visible to other traffic. As another example, whenever you are riding downhill above 20mph, either "conditions" or the "practicable" wording void the applicability of 21202/21204 as far as I'm concerned, even if there is faster traffic behind you.

On my commute I ride down a hill about 28mph where cars are going about 45-50 mph. There is a bike lane, but I stay out of it, riding in the regular lane instead. I believe this is legal for the reasons above, and I know it's much safer. The bike lane puts me too close to the curb, when I'm in the bike lane motorists pass me too closely (when I move out into the lane they change lanes to pass me leaving "too much" passing space - erring on the side I can live with, literally), and the bike lane collects debris that could cause a puncture that would be dangerous. I've been doing it for 4 years, and have not be cited (or hit!) yet...

Be safe out there. Ride visibly and predictably: ride in the legal vehicular manner.

Serge